Great summary of last week’s committee meeting;
https://www.jacksonville.com/news/20200122/bill-for-elected-duval-schools-superintendent-advances-in-legislature
HB 1079 is being heard: Tuesday, January 28, 2020 3:30 PM in room 102 House Building
I think we should first say a short description of why we’re here. This is what I’ll say:
My father was in the Navy. I went to public schools all over the United States of America. My daughter and I graduated from Jacksonville public high schools. I feel very grateful for my public education and for my daughter’s public education. That is why I am here today.
Option one
I think the best way to have the most qualified superintendent is for the school board to interview, hire, and fire (if needed) the top administrator of the school district.
Just as the JEA board (a Jacksonville board currently appointed by our mayor) hires the top administrator, the school board needs to continue to hire the top administrator. Incompetent or unethical administrators can be removed immediately as the JEA board did with the JEA top administrator Aaron Zahn. Perhaps the board removed Zahn due to local public outcry, but still the point is that it was possible to immediately remove him. It is more difficult to remove elected officials.
The local city council can put things on our ballot. As a matter of fact, they are contemplating putting something on our ballot to change the way the JEA board is appointed. I hope that will be on our ballot soon, but it might not make it onto our ballot until November 2020.
The point is that we’ll have lots of things on our November 2020 ballot without this horrible attack on home rule being added to my city’s ballot by the state legislature.
HB 1079 is in violation of the local bill manual which says local bills should not be used if the purpose can be accomplished at the local level. Things can be put on our city’s ballot by the city council, the school board, and by citizen initiatives.
Senator Gibson and Representative Davis of the Duval Delegation voted no on J-1. I thank them for their no vote. The required economic impact statement completed by Jason Fischer and the OGC should have included the cost of educating the voting public about the issue. Democracy only works when the voters understand the ramifications of their vote. We do not want taxpayer dollars and energy wasted on unnecessary ballot proposals and campaigns.
Option two
Our elected school board members are elected specifically to represent the public interest in our education system. The voters have given them the authority to make decisions specifically about our school district. The school board passed a resolution opposing J-1 (HB 1079).
Under our County Charter we have the authority in our jurisdiction to make the change suggested by HB 1079 if it is ever desired. However there is not now, nor has there ever been community outcry for this bill or its intent.
Please vote no on HB 1079. This local bill is a horrible attack on home rule.
Option 3
HB 1079 is in violation of the local bill manual which says local bills should not be used if the purpose can be accomplished at the local level. Things can be put on our city’s ballot by the city council, the school board, and by citizen initiatives.
Our school board plans to put on our Jacksonville ballot in November 2020 an item that will allow us to raise funds to renovate or replace district owned school buildings that have lasted over 50 years. As you may know, school districts all over Florida have passed these referendums because the state has cut funding for capital outlay funding going to district owned school buildings.
In addition to the school board’s referendum on our November 2020 ballot, state citizen initiatives will be on our ballot.
As an aside: Please don’t vote yes on any of the bills before the current legislature that will make it harder to get citizen initiatives on the ballot. Citizen initiatives with huge support are a great way for the people’s voices to be heard.
Three initiative campaigns have, thus far, qualified to go before voters in November’s general election – Florida For A Fair Wage’s “Fight For $15”; an “open” primary proposal for state Legislature, Governor and Cabinet; and a constitutional amendment stipulating “only,” rather than “any,” U.S. citizen can legally vote. Two other prospective amendments still vying to meet the signature requirements by Feb. 1 – Ban All Assault Weapons’ and Make it Legal Florida—may also be on our ballot.
The point is that we’ll have lots of things on our November 2020 ballot without this horrible attack on home rule being added to my city’s ballot by the state legislature.
Please vote no on HB 1079. This local bill is a horrible attack on home rule.
Option four
I want our elected school board to continue to be able to conduct a nationwide search for a qualified superintendent with the academic credentials, skills and experience necessary to run a large school district. (128,000 PLUS STUDENTS, 14,000 EDUCATORS AND STAFF).
If Representative Fischer brings up the UNF poll in his closing arguments as he did in last week’s committee meeting, I hope you will do your own research on it. As Mike Binder, director of the Public Opinion Research Lab, mentioned in an article, the question was poorly worded and could have misled respondents. Plus the poll only included about 600 people that answered their phones.
Please vote no on HB 1079. This local bill is a horrible attack on home rule.
Option 5
I hope Representative Fischer will let us know in his closing arguments who in the Duval Delegation voted yes on the amendment to HB 1079. Amendments to Duval local bills have to be approved by the majority of the Duval Delegation before the amendment can be presented to the state legislative committee according to the local bills manual.
Without approval of the amendment, HB 1079 was in violation of Florida’s Constitution Article IX Section 5. The fact that the amendment was needed to bring HB 1079 into compliance with Florida’s Constitution was a clear sign the bill wasn’t properly vetted and I thought it may have caused some on the Duval Delegation who originally voted yes on J-1 (Clay Yarborough, Aaron Bean, Cord Byrd, Wyman Duggan, and Kimberly Daniels) to withdraw their support for HB 1079 and vote no on the amendment.
Please vote no on HB 1079. This local bill is a horrible attack on home rule.
Unite Us Do Not Divide Us 